Kamakhya Temple closed for three days for Ambubachi Mela

Guwahati, Jun 22: The door of the famed Kamakhya Temple, seat of the Shakti cult, was closed for three days from today on the occasion of the annual Ambubachi Mela, for which elaborate security arrangement

PTI [ Updated: June 22, 2012 17:55 IST ]

kamakhya temple closed for three days for ambubachi mela

Guwahati, Jun 22: The door of the famed Kamakhya Temple, seat of the Shakti cult, was closed for three days from today on the occasion of the annual Ambubachi Mela, for which elaborate security arrangement has been made.

The temple door was closed at 6:12 a.m today and would reopen at 7 a.m on June 25, General Secretary of the Kamakhya Debuttor Board Naba Sarma said.

Sadhus and devotees from all over the country and abroad have arrived at the temple atop the Nilachal Hills with the district administration making elaborate arrangements to ensure the mela passes off without any untoward incident.

Kamrup (Metro) Deputy Commissioner Ashutosh Agnihotri said over 600 security personnel have been deployed on Nilachal Hills as more than three lakh devotees were expected to visit the temple during the three-day festival.

Nearly 410 armed police personnel have been deployed in the temple premises and its surroundings while three Deputy Superintendents of Police will supervise the security, Senior Superintendent of Police (Guwahati city) A J Barua said.

Round the clock vigil would be maintained in and around the temple with 66 sub-inspectors to monitor the situation and 40 women constables to assist women devotees.

About 100 Scouts and Guides and 60 NCC cadets would also assist the police to avoid any untoward incident while river police would patrol the Brahmaputra, flowing below the Nilachal Hills, Barua added.

Activities inside the temple buildings, however, would be conducted by the temple priests though security personnel would man the temple doors, Agnihotri said.